IRAN WAR UPDATES: U.S. appears cold to Iranian proposal to end war without nuclear deal

Get the latest updates Tuesday on the Iranian war

Published Apr 28, 2026  •  2 minute read

Pro-government demonstrators attend a gathering in Tehran, Iran, Monday, April 27, 2026. Photo by Vahid Salemi /AP

The Trump administration seemed unlikely Tuesday to accept Iran’s offer to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the United States lifts its blockade on the country.

Article content

The proposal would postpone discussions on Iran’s nuclear program, something that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to rule out.

Article content

Article content

The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security team discussed the offer and Trump would address it later.

The offer emerged Monday as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Russia, which has long been a key backer of Tehran. It was unclear what, if any, assistance Moscow might offer now.

Here is the latest on the U.S.-Israel war against Iran on Tuesday:

Pakistan, New Zealand PMs discuss de-escalation

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday briefed New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon by phone on Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach promoting regional peace and de-escalation.

Luxon expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, including outreach to the United States and Iran, according to Sharif’s office.

Sharif thanked Luxon for his support and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, dialogue and regional stability, the office said.

Article content

Article content

Iran’s ‘illegal behaviour’ should be energy wake-up call: U.S.

A senior U.S. State Department official says Iran’s “illegal behaviour” in the Strait of Hormuz should serve as a “wake-up call” for global energy security.

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker spoke at a gathering of Baltic, Black, and Adriatic Sea countries on Tuesday in Croatia. She said that more needs to be done to diversify supplies and connect to avoid future problems.

“Iran’s illegal behaviour in the Strait of Hormuz should be a wake-up call for all of us with regard to the need to secure our supply chains and reduce our dependencies on unreliable countries and geographies,” Hooker said during a panel discussion in the southern Adriatic Sea city of Dubrovnik.

“We all need to do more,” Hooker said. “The world is changing under our feet.”

A giant billboard depicting Iranian troops using a net to catch US combat aircraft is seen at the Revolution Square in Tehran on April 28, 2026. Photo by ATTA KENARE /AFP via Getty Images

Preventing Iranian nuclear weapon ’core issue’: Rubio

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked in a Fox News interview about Iran’s latest proposal, which would postpone discussions on its nuclear program but end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade and ends the war.

Article content

“There’s no doubt in my mind that at some point in the future, if this radical clerical regime remains in charge in Iran, they will decide they want a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said.

“That fundamental issue still has to be confronted,” he said. “That still remains the core issue here.”

Asked if he thinks the Iranians are serious about a deal, Rubio said they are skilled negotiators looking to buy time.

“We can’t let them get away with it,” Rubio said. “We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point.”

– With files from The Associated Press

Article content